Presenter: Rahmin Eslami, Hornall Anderson Executive Creative Director We spend countless hours toiling over our work. But then we do something strange, even stupid. We take all that hard work, passion and our shiny creative alchemy, and march it into its debut with little-to-no preparation. We say, “The work should stand on its own…”, as though Darwin is suddenly in the conference room. Then it happens — you have a terrible presentation, the work dies, and you have to start over. This outcome is avoidable, and Rahmin Eslami, executive creative director at Hornall Anderson and SVC instructor, will advise you on how steer clear of creative presentation misfires with a bit of preparation and practice.

1. Live
or Die.
Five tips to help
your ideas make it.

2. Hello, I’m Rahmin.
I do what you do
(maybe a bit more analog).
I love helping good
ideas get into the world.

3. Sorry Guy.
Sorry Seth.
I like chubby,
banal typography
set in lists.

4. Today comes
with some
assumptions
Image credit: The internet. Unknown.

5. Why
presentations
matter.

6. “Access to talented and creative people
is to modern business what access to
coal and iron ore was to steel-making.”
– Richard Florida

7. Linear work
Image credit: Steelcase

8. Image credit: Steelcase
Creative work

9. How modern business still
behaves and equates value
Despite ideas being the
currency of the new economy
Image credit: Steelcase

10. A good presentation
gives great ideas the
little nudge they need:
01. Builds shared belief and understanding.
02. Builds shared responsibility to keeping it alive.
03. Creates a bridge for what can be.

12. Image credit: PBS

13. Tip 01
Become a
risk whisperer.

14. Commerce – Companies,
co-ops, corporations
and the like are incentivised
to create as much success
as possible with taking
on as little risk as possible.

15. The least risk possible
means being the
most comfortable with
the known quantity.

16. Image credit: Liberty Mutual Insurance

17. The creative process
is about finding the
unknown quantity
and in this case, use it
to make commerce
more successful.

18. Image credit: Forsman & Bodenfors

19. This is crazy.
They are never
going to go for this.
But they wanted a _______.

20. Unknown
Known

21. You have a seat at the table. They value you,
but, that doesn’t mean they can see things
in the unknown the way you can. It’s scary to
cross the line but it’s your job.

22. Image credit: REI Co-op

23. Image credit: Forsman & Bodenfors

24. Image credit: Ogilvy

25. Think about these from their
perspective for a moment.
“So you’re telling me...?”

26. Transcend risk
or the known quantity
takes control
It’s not just clients
who manage risk.
Remember why
you’re here.

27. Tip 02
Show your
softer side.

28. You’re not
President
Obama,
and that’s
okay.

29. No one knows
the work better
than you...
so you’re perfect
for the job.

30. We make decisions on how
we feel.
A presentation is a critical
place where we need
to influence a decision.
So lead with story.
Are you good at
what you do?

31. We make decisions on how
we feel.
A presentation is a critical
place where we need
to influence a decision.
So lead with story.
Are you good at
what you do?
That’s confidence.
Keep that to yourself.

32. We make decisions on how
we feel.
A presentation is a critical
place where we need
to influence a decision.
So lead with story.
What do you love/like
about what you do?

33. We make decisions on how
we feel.
A presentation is a critical
place where we need
to influence a decision.
So lead with story.
What do you love/like
about what you do?
That’s enthusiasm.
Lead with that.

34. Wrong
enthusiasm.
Image credit: The internet. Unknown.

35. Right
enthusiasm.
Image credit: Apple.

36. Image credit: Modern Farmer.

37. Show you care and they
will too. Always leave
your audience better than
when you found them.
Make them think,
laugh, feel and believe.

38. Tip 03
Build a
campfire.

39. We believe our brains
like data, hierarchies,
process, terms and
pure rational thinking.
Image credit: cecetDESMA9

40. Lisa Cron

42. Report
Topical
Data
Information
Fact
Exhaustive
Reference: Duarte. Image credit: Mckinsey

44. Story
Narrative
Meaning
Story
Metaphor
Dramatic
Reference: Duarte. Image credit: Disney.

46. Report
Topical
Data
Information
Fact
Exhaustive
Story
Narrative
Meaning
Story
Metaphor
Dramatic
*A good
presentation
is a happy
blend of both
Explanatory

47. Reference: Virtual Fireplace™

48. “People accept ideas more
readily when their minds are
in story mode as opposed to
an analytical mind-set.
- Dr. Melanie C. Greene
Reference: Virtual Fireplace™

49. Image credit: Disney
Your work is
the protagonist
in this story.

50. For story to succeed
01. It must be a true/authentic story.
02. It must be positive in tone.
03. It must be told in a minimalist fashion.
04. It must contrast the before state and the after.
What has happened because of you / your work?
Resolve with your work.

51. Image credit: Alaska.org

52. Your work is
the protagonist
in this story.

53. Inspire them to dream
and to have courage:
What if...
We can be...
Just think...
Imagine...

59. Try different approaches as
storytelling takes practice.
Transport them from the
conference room where
rational thinking is prioritized.
Enough facts.
Create balance.

60. Tip 04
Sharpen
your point.

61. Meet as a team:
Who are we presenting to?
What do we want to achieve?
What are our support RTBs?
What is our look, tone, feel?
What should the client do?

63. What is our look, tone, feel?
Team:
The best presenters present.
Zero builds (01).
Presentation:
Storyboard it.
Edit. Distill. Edit. Distill.

64. *
Beginning. Middle. End.

65. Create certainty by
distilling all the data down
into a sharp point.
It’s the brief.
It’s the brand.
It’s the research.

66. Eureka.
It’s the idea.
It’s the twist.
It’s the turn.

67. Celebrate the opportunities
within the creative work.
It’s the solutions.
It’s the tactics.
It’s the what ifs.

68. *
Certainty. Twist. Opportunity.

69. *
But this is how it should feel.
Build.
Crescendo.
Wow!
Ahh.

70. It’s show time.
Great ideas
and hard work
are at stake.
Don’t build a report.
Make something sharp.

71. Tip 05
Finished presenting.
Now, keep presenting.

73. Image credit: GE. BBDO.

74. You’ve done all you can
to do to put your idea’s best
foot forward. Keep it
positive and in perspective.
Believe.
Believe.
Believe.

75. Five tips to help
your ideas make it.
01. Become a risk whisperer.
02. Show your softer side.
03. Build a campfire.
04. Sharpen your point.
05. Finished presenting.
Now, keep presenting.

76. Thank you.
Go make something rad
and then go present it.
r_eslami@
hornallanderson.com